Statement by Chargé d’Affaires of the Russian Federation Dmitry Polyanskiy on humanitarian situation in Syria
We thank the Special Envoy for Syria Mr. Geir Pedersen, and Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Coordination Joyce Msuya for their briefings on the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic (SAR).
Unfortunately, in addition to the numerous well-known challenges, Syria, which is a friend of ours, also faces the negative consequences of the unprecedented escalation in the Gaza Strip due to Israel's ongoing military operation, which has an impact not only on the country but also on the region as a whole. Syria is directly affected by more than 10 months of Israeli-Palestinian confrontation and by the arbitrary strikes the Israeli Air Force launches in violation of international law both on Syria and on the territories of neighboring countries. Almost every week, Israel carries out strikes on Damascus and its suburbs, as well as on other Syrian provinces. This is a flagrant violation of Syria’s sovereignty and the provisions of the UN Charter, to which the Western members of the Security Council remain indifferent. We have no doubt that if it had been a state loyal to them, rather than a country that is not afraid to pursue an independent foreign policy, the reaction would have been completely different, and they would have regularly raised this issue in the UN Security Council.
The risks of spiraling escalation were clearly evidenced by the July 27 tragic incident in the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan (Majdal Shams), which claimed the lives of 12 children. We strongly condemn any acts of violence against civilians. Such tragedies could fuel the already highly explosive situation in the region and become a trigger for a new full-blown war in the Middle East, which must be avoided at all costs.
It is a shame that our American colleagues do not understand that, and instead they follow suit committing lawlessness in Syria. Thus, they are not only carrying out strikes on Syrian territory, but also destabilizing and “srirring up” the political and socio-economic situation in the country by using terrorists entrenched in the area beyond the Euphrates and in Al-Tanf, where American troops are illegally present.
Another hotbed of terrorism is the Idlib de-escalation zone, which is under the control of the UNSC-listed fighters of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), whom Washington is trying to shield from any criticism. Unfortunately, the United Nations humanitarian agencies are basically playing along, they are maintaining direct contacts with the fighters and cowardly avoid calling a spade a spade.
Mr. President,
The end of the foreign military presence, which is maintained in violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic, is an imperative for long-lasting stabilization in that country. We also demand an unconditional cessation of air strikes on Syrian territory. Without that, all efforts towards a political settlement are doomed to failure, and our discussions in the Security Council will continue to go round in a circle, becoming increasingly reminiscent of the “ponderism” of medieval Scholastic philosophers.
It is also clear from today's statements that under the current turbulent conditions, there has been no particular progress on the track of a Syrian political settlement within the framework of Security Council resolution 2254. For our part, we continue to support a political settlement in Syria led and implemented by the Syrians themselves through the UN mediation, and there is no alternative to this. We consistently advocate the need to continue direct intra-Syrian dialog, with the Constitutional Committee (CC) remaining the main platform for it. At the same time, we are convinced that decisions on the venue for the next rounds of consultations should be taken by the Syrians themselves without external pressure or interference, no matter how much someone would like to make that choice for them.
Mr. President,
Against this backdrop, the humanitarian situation in Syria continues to hit new lows. Millions of citizens are still suffering from the lack of food. In the past five years, the number of people experiencing food-related problems has tripled. Providing health care and decent sanitation is something that remains a challenge. The cost of living in the country has doubled over the past year, and many Syrians simply cannot afford basic goods and necessities. At the same time, international humanitarian assistance to Syria is has been hostage to politicized approaches of the West, which does its best to undermine the position of the legitimate Syrian Government, and is not a bit interested in the recovery of the country and in the return of hundreds of thousands of refugees to their homes. Alongside sanctions and the plundering of Syrian natural resources, this is affecting the lives of Syrian civilians, who are doomed to hunger and suffering. However, this does not add to the popularity of Washington and its allies in Syria, and in the Middle East as a whole. “The Arab public is fully aware of the true goals of the American policy in the region.
The recent report of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) on the impact of unilateral sanctions has become yet another indication of not only how the Western sanctions "hammer" undermines the social and economic development of Syria, but also of how the "collective West" stubbornly ignores this fact. One can also recall another publication – the report of the Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights, Alena Douhan, following her visit to Syria in 2023, in which she made unambiguous conclusions about the need to lift unilateral restrictions. Whether the USA likes it or not, the truth about the US-led collective punishment of Syrians is bit-by-bit coming to light.
For our part, we have consistently flagged the illegal restrictions imposed by the United States and European countries that undermine Syria's ability to recover, let alone develop sustainably.
Against this background, what is perplexing is that even representatives of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) do not provide their assessments of either the ESCWA report or of the report of Ms. Douhan. As if those publications did not exist. But those documents do cover the issues they are directly in charge of, namely, the documents contain information about how sanctions hinder the implementation of humanitarian programs and related development projects. We would like to hear OCHA assessments of this. So far, we’ve had nothing but timid, rare statements about the importance of humanitarian exemptions, and only in the context of the 2023 earthquake in Syria. We call on OCHA and its staff to be guided by the principles of neutrality, impartiality, independence and humanity, and to publicly spotlight the difficulties that both Syrians and humanitarians are facing due to sanctions while carrying out their noble mission. Silence on this issue undermines not only the foundations of the work of the humanitarian "wing" of the UN, but also the moral principles promoted by the UN.
Another persistent challenge is ensuring the humanitarian access to Syria. Crossline deliveries have not yet been set up. This state of affairs is unacceptable. It is important to act in close coordination with the official authorities to ensure the operation of all possible humanitarian routes, including those from Damascus-controlled territory. We can not allow the situation whereby northern parts of the country have no humanitarian access. To prevent this from happening we need to establish an effective cross-line mechanism. The example of the temporary closure of the crossing point on the border with Turkey in July due to the escalation of hostilities has clearly demonstrated the possible risks.
At the same time, no matter how much Western countries claim the opposite, we note that the Syrian authorities are not indifferent to the fate of their citizens living in areas not yet under the control of the Syrian Government. This is evidenced in particular by the decision of Damascus to extend the authorization to use the Bab al-Salam, Al-Rai and Bab al-Hawa border-crossings, which once again has shown the “goodwill” of Damascus and its constructive approach in working with the United Nations. We welcome this important step.
The key to establishing peace and security both in Syria and around it would be the willingness of the West to abandon its hard-headed anti-Damascus attitudes and establish normal, equal and mutually respectful relations with the Syrian Arab Republic. In this regard, we note some positive developments in the position of a number of European capitals. We hope that these seeds will sprout and complement the constructive shift in normalizing relations with SAR undertaken by Syria's neighbors in the region.
This will benefit both the Syrians and all of us.
Thank you for your attention.
